The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities established the HACU Hall of Champions to honor those who embody the mission of the Association through exemplary efforts “To Champion Hispanic Success in Higher Education.” The 2018 HACU Hall of Champions inductees were Sister Elizabeth Anne Sueltenfuss, CDP, Ph.D., and J. Michael Ortiz, Ph.D., who were honored on October 6, 2018, during HACU’s 32nd Annual Conference.
Sister Elizabeth Anne Sueltenfuss, CDP, was the first woman president of Our Lady of the Lake University, serving from 1978 to 1997, and was one of the first women in Texas to lead a university. During her tenure, the nation’s first doctor of psychology degree program in counseling psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association was established in 1990. Texas’ first electronic commerce program was also established at OLLU during her presidency, later growing into the university’s bachelor’s and master’s cybersecurity programs.
HACU was founded on the OLLU campus during Sister Sueltenfuss’ presidency, and she served as HACU treasurer and a member of its executive committee. She also served as chair of the Executive Committee of the Texas Independent College Fund; director and treasurer of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas; and director of the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities.
Sister Sueltenfuss served on the boards of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the Air Force Institute of Technology Board of Visitors, the Army and Air Force Community Councils, the Free Trade Alliance of San Antonio, Avance, the American Cancer Society, and the San Antonio Library Foundation.
Her honors included the Ford Foundation’s Salute to Education Award, the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Women in Communications Headliner Award for Professional Achievement, the JCPenney Spirit of the American Woman Award, and the San Antonio Express-News Lifetime Achievement Award.
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Sister Sueltenfuss earned a bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake, and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Notre Dame.
